


When Will the Timing be Right?

by orphan_account



Series: Perpetually Pining Over Betty Cooper [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-30 04:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14489223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Betty and Veronica make up! Jughead and Betty have a little chat...





	When Will the Timing be Right?

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to say sorry about the weirdness going on with the chapter labels. This is part three of PPBC, but it says the chapter is 1/1 (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ I have no idea how to fix that tbh.

Betty went over the events of the night over and over again in her head as she layed in bed, willing herself to fall asleep. She thought of how nervous Archie looked to be at the drive in with her, how gentle Jughead had held her hand. Most of all, Betty couldn’t get over how close she had come to losing herself in Jughead’s eyes. How she had been about to lean in and close the space between them, even when her date was less than 20 feet away. Betty wished more than anything that she could talk to the one person she trusted more than anyone else in her life, Veronica, but they weren’t speaking at the moment. After much tossing and turning, Betty sat up in bed, turning her lamp on and pulling out her phone.

Betty mustered up all of the courage left in her as she wrote out a simple text.

BETTY: How did the date go?

Betty sat, staring at her screen for a few minutes, watching as Veronica’s text bubble opened and closed. Betty didn’t know which would be harder, her best friend responding, or leaving her on read.

VERONICA: You were right. He’s a dick.

BETTY: I’m sorry V, I wish I wasn’t. Are you okay?

VERONICA: I won’t ever let a deadbeat guy like Chuck Clayton discourage me. I’ll find a good guy in this town… eventually

VERONICA: God, I had all these elaborate tasks I was going to make you go through in order to gain my forgiveness, but I just miss you too much.

Betty felt her breath catch, watching as Veronica typed and deleted. At that point, the blonde was ready to do anything to get back her friendship. She would have gotten down on her knees and begged if that was what it would take to get Veronica back.

VERONICA: Of course, I still think what you said was something I only thought I’d hear come out of Cheryl Blossom’s mouth, but I know you meant well.

BETTY: I’m so, so sorry. I swear, I need to watch my mouth sometimes!

VERONICA: Yes, yes you do. But until then, I think I can bear a few careless words from you. I’m willing to put this all behind us if you are, B.

Betty felt herself smiling warmly as she typed out her response. The rest of her life may be in chaos, but at least she knew she would still have her best friend.

BETTY: Thank God. I have so much to tell you :D

~~~

Jughead shoved through the hallways of Riverdale high, making his way to science class. For once he was glad to be lab partners with Ethel Muggs, as long as he didn’t have to work with Betty or Archie. As soon as he walked in the doors, he could already see Betty wringing her hands nervously. He sat at his desk without saying a word to either of his friends.

“...Hey Jughead” Betty waved nervously, as if trying to gage how upset he was.

“Hello Betty.” He said simply, not in the mood to talk to her. He hated the fact that even as he tried to ignore the girl, he couldn’t help but notice how stunning she was today. She had worn a white skirt with a long sleeved brown top. She was wearing her hair up, away from her face, the way Jughead liked it best. He wished she was more confident, with all that she had going for he--

Jughead was snapped out of his thoughts as Betty frowned, “Jughead? Did you hear me?” Jughead shook his head, annoyed at the way he never seemed to focus on the present world whenever Betty was around.

“Well,” Betty began, “I was hoping we could go to Pop’s after school. I need to talk to someone more rational than Veronica about the other night. She’s a little.... Excitable.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m not the ‘gossip’ type.” Jughead chuckled, silently pleased that Betty came to him to talk. He had already forgotten why he was mad at her as he stared at her smiling face, and her sparkling eyes, “But I guess I don’t have any plans so--”

“Great, I’ll see you later then!” She turned and went to sit back down with a grinning Veronica.

~~~

Betty took a deep breath as she took a step into the doors of Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe. She immediately spotted the ever-brooding Jughead Jones sitting in their friends’ normal booth. But today, it would just be the two of them, which was decidedly not normal. Betty wondered why Jughead and her had never really crossed the barrier between mutual and actual friends. Maybe because every time you look at him you say something reckless, the blonde thought. Reckless was exactly the way she was with Jughead- how she’d come so close to giving into him at the drive-in, to inviting him to Pop’s. Betty just couldn’t make rational decisions when she was with him. She didn’t know if that excited or scared her.

Swallowing her anxiety, she walked over to where Jughead was sitting, biting into a burger. When he saw her, he quickly wiped his face, dropping his greasy meal back on his plate, “Don’t stop because of me.” Betty chuckled as she slipped into the booth across from him.

“Hey Betty.” If Betty didn’t know any better, she’d say that Jughead looked… nervous. She dismissed that thought quickly though, since there was no reason for Jughead to be nervous around her, they’d known each other too long. She did realize though, she didn’t look at Jughead the same way she had so many years ago. He was different, more grown up. He had grown much taller, filled out his dad’s old t-shirts. He looked good, stronger.

“Hey Juggie. Thanks for coming, I really needed to talk to someone- or I guess I needed to talk to you about the drive-in.” Betty said, shrugging off her jacket.

“What do you… uh… what’s there to talk about?”

“Come on Jughead, we both know that whatever happened that night wasn’t something ‘just friends’ do. We almost kissed!” Betty exclaimed. Jughead visibly flinched at the mention of a kiss. As much as Betty hated making the boy uncomfortable, she didn’t want to waste time beating around the bush. She had rehearsed what she would say to Jughead ever since the almost-kiss.

“I don’t know how you feel Jughead, but that meant something to me. I really appreciate that you were there for me in the middle of my... breakdown.” Betty sighed, hoping she could make Jughead understand her feelings. She wondered if she even knew how she was feeling.

“What are you saying Betty?” Jughead whispered, a lump forming in his throat. He prayed her words were the ones he so desperately wanted to hear.

“I-- I’m not really sure myself. God, I’m so confused.” Jughead leaned across the booth, taking Betty’s hands. He waited for Betty to let go, but she let him hold on as she spoke, “I’ve loved Archie for as long as I can remember. I still love Archie. But with you, it feels different.”

“Betty” Jughead started, looking into her eyes, “There’s something I have to tell you.”

“No, please. Just, let me finish.” Betty took her hands away, already regretting the loss of warmth, “With you, the feelings are different, yes, but also new. I’ve waited years for a chance with Archie, and now that I have it, I can’t not see what happens with him. I can’t be happy with you if I don’t know how it feels to be with him.”

“Betty, you left the drive-in in tears.” Jughead said, getting aggravated, “God, has Archie brainwashed you? Archie is fun, sure, but he’s not… he’s not reliable! He won’t be there for you like I will Betty. You’re too good for a guy like Archie Andrews.”

“Jughead! How could you talk about your best friend like that?” Betty shouted, anger in her voice, “Besides that fact that you’re completely wrong about Archie, that was hurtful Jughead. Archie is practically your brother, and you’re ready to throw him under the bus for some girl? God, we don’t even know each other that well, it’s so new!”

Betty grabbed her jacket, getting up to leave, “Maybe this isn’t so new for me Betty.” Jughead retorted. She whipped her head around, tears in her eyes, “I know that you’ve never looked at me, but I’ve been seeing you for as long as I can remember.”

“Goodnight Jughead.” Betty said simply, tears sliding down her cheeks. She turned and made her way out of the diner, forcing herself not to look back at him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this chapter... I've rewritten it a lot, and this is the best I've come up with so far. I know this is a little melodramatic of a fight, but they're angsty teenagers and I think that they have to get all of their problems in the open, you know? I just don't think it'd be realistic for Betty to be ready to forget Archie so quickly, but that's just me! As always, follow my tumblr- sammysays23. I post my favorite Riverdale fanfictions and post updates to my own. Bye for now!


End file.
